Passion for firearms in Corsica

Bastia (Upper Corsica)

“Corsican arms are a local feature”. Arnaud Viorneri, the prosecutor of Bastia, begins to argue from his bench about the peculiarities of this island, on the occasion of a recent trial in which a gangster figure appears. It should be said that with 120,000 weapons declared for 350,000 inhabitants, or 340 weapons per 1,000 inhabitants, the possession rate is more than three times higher than the national average. The impressive numbers are explained by the presence of 35,000 hunters and 5,300 sports shooters. The island can even compete with several American states, which are considered more lenient in this matter. If the illegal part is difficult to assess, then the confiscations give an opportunity to get an idea. In 2021, 791 rifles, revolvers or machine guns were seized in Corsica. What to warn? “We must reject any cultural representation of this disaster, the illegal possession of firearms, explains Arnaud Viornery